The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-02-10
EDUCATION FOR FARMERS.
Governor S. ID. Lee on the nrncticial
Effects of tho mississippi Agricultural
College,

from HC " tCHfV 4NfHS fiHt LW'f''
There is no doubt in my mind, as 10
the effect Of this college upon the asri.
culture and general industries Of Mis-
sissippi It's establishment WAS most
opportunc. 1t has succeeded in arrcs!ing
the attention Of our farmers, and point
ing them to the careless system of asri-
culture in tic State, resulting in a grad.
ual exhaustion of the soil and consequent
lesscning of the yield Of crops, which
has tendency to dcpress farmers gcncr-
ally. II has pointed out also that the
soil IS not an inexhaustiblc mine, but
that it must he carefully and intclligently
worked To preserve its fertility. That to
work land that is nearly worn out in
crops of cotton, corn, &C., without iertll-
lizing, or gradually restoring its fertility,
will not yield sufficient to pay wages or
profit, but that snch lands must be re-
stored at less expense and labor, and 10y
resorlrg mainly to stock raising TO get
profits from these poor lands while they
are Icing restored for future crops.
These facts, mainly demonstrated at
thc college in practice, and taught in
addresses and bulletins in various sec
tions OF the State by the faculty, in hold
ing farmers institutes, and also through
the teachings of students attending the
college, are producing practical results
and bearing fruit. y more diversified
and careful system OF farming is being
adopted. The elementary principles of
common-sensc farming, 50 long diregard-
ed, are new bring resurrectcd and fol.
lowed. The college, its workings and
teachings, are regarded as reliable aids
in adopting more varied and careful
methods. Citizens from all sections of
the State visit the college TO be informed
before starting in new enterprises in az
riculture. Most of the creameres in the
State have been started and managed by
graduates and students Of the college.
Stock raisers generally visit or apply to
the college for information as TO the con-
struction of barns, sheds aud siios, and
as to the caring for of imported stock,
and feeding and handling of stock. The
faculty of the college are invited TO meet
the farmers and discuss with them the
best methods of farming They are un.
able to attend kalf of these Invitations.
Last year they held eight farmers iEsti.
tutes, and individual members of the
faculty attended as many more gather
ngs by invitation.
At 4 Dairyman and Fruit Growers
Convention, to lie held in Jackson, in
February, gotten up by the Illinois Cen
tral Railroad and at which there will be
general attendance from the West and
South, three of the faculty of the college
are booked for addresses on Southern
nali7e grasses, how TO make a creamery
pay, how shal We regain lost fertility to
soil, and showing tie practical character
! of our work, and the estimate in which
i, is held by others.
Now as to the students and graduates.
We have only been in operation six
years. Only few classes have gradu.
ated 1t is get too soon to speak posi-.
lively as to the work of graduates. At
his present writing there are thirty.seven
/ living graduates sixteen of this number
are engaged in farming Most Of The
others are teaching schools, to obtain
means 10 farm, as far as can learn.
The demand for good teachers in schools
is great, and it requires considerable cap.
ital to start even small farm, and most
of our graduates are young men of mod
crate means. Out of the last graduating
class cS6) six out of eleven are farming.
Four of the creamcres in the State were
started and worked for time by one
/ graduate. Two are now in charge of a
former student, who left college to en-
cage in such work. Two students who
had TO leave college for lack of funds,
after remaining two years, were recon-
lnendcd and obtained places as managers
Of stock farms and dairy herds within the
last TWO weeks. We are constantly get
ting applications for young men trained
at this college for such positions. AL
over the State, as far as can learn, oul
students who have attended tie college
are demonstrating this fact. and leading
in more careful and intelligent system
of agriculture made easy to them by theil
theoretical and practical training at the
college.
Our college farm has 1000 acres o
land, composed mostly ofrortions ofworr
out cotton plantations; only $50 or lo(
+ acres arc rich enough to produce cottor
or corn. This is carefully worked viii
paying crops, The. balance is used a
pasture lands ard is yielding and paying
At the rate Of 50 80 to S3 an acre in beef
butter and milk sold from it. These pas
ture lands, too, are rapidly recovering
their fertility, and about every two year.
are iou bling their capacity for fcedin!
stock, by the increased yield of gras
growing on the lands. The college ba
a herd OF 800 animals, pure bred an'
grade mostly. They are handled, fed ar'
milkcd By students. Our barns, shed:
siles, creamery, dairy preparations AM
, distribution of food to cattle, ard al! sue
work, is doue BY students under skilfl
direction. All this is necessarily hayin
, it, influence in the State, and demon
+ s,rating, in an official object lesson, I
!, our citizens and boys that the best, mos
! practical ard least expensive way
handling our own lands is to combin
s!ockraising inlelligcntly with NOR
intensive system OF farming. Tie stoc